


one soul, two souls

by xShieru



Series: To tame fire [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Contracts, Familiars, Gen, Minor Character Death, Pre-Slash, Rituals, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 06:18:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12205542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xShieru/pseuds/xShieru
Summary: A young warlock in search of a reliable way to free his recently-deceased brother's soul accidentally summons the wrong spirit. It's a good thing that the Spirit is willing to help - that is, for a certain price.





	one soul, two souls

**Author's Note:**

> never thought i'd sign up for writing an entire cycle, yet here i am. this isn't really shippy or anything of the sort and i guess you could call this story an opening act for something way bigger ;) ace and sabo are only mentioned but they're an integral part of this series. hope you like it!

Despite it being midday, the woods are dark, cold and uninviting.

Luffy knows better than to wander these parts alone, wary of the creatures residing in the tall pines and moss-covered tree stumps, blueberry bushes, shrubbery, clearings and occasional swamps. His clothes are quick to tear in various places, thick leather boots get caked in mud and yellowed leaves, their heavy heels making the dry twigs crack and snap with every step that Luffy takes, walking further and further away from the faint rays of green light seeping through the dense foliage of the last clearing he’d visited. From this point onwards, there’s only darkness, firs, ferns and even more shrubbery obstructing his path. Intricately-woven spider webs cling to his hair, catching onto the red hood.

Luffy is familiar with this part of the woods, having passed it more than enough times with his brothers, running errands and searching for potion ingredients.

The young boy flicks a yellow spider the size of his pinky off his thinly-clothed shoulder and lifts the prickly curtain of a fir that he’s been forced to duck under in order to reach his goal.

Ahead, there’s a small circular clearing, completely enshrouded in the dark shadows cast by the impossibly high and thick ancient trees. The air smells of wet ground - the kind of scent that Luffy picks up whenever a huge thunderstorm hits the village, air charged from the crackling of the lightning repeatedly striking the rye fields located behind his house - and it’s undeniably alive with some sort of energy.

Magic, he knows. It’s so thick that he can almost feel its peculiar taste on his tongue and it’s reacting out to his presence in earnest, quickly ensnaring the various mushrooms growing out in small clusters on the damp moss. It gives off the vibe of a sacred place, almost as though Luffy’s just stepped into a church – to a warlock like him, this place is of even greater importance.

He boldly approaches the ring of mushrooms and feels the pure energy emitted by the surrounding nature clog his senses to the point his eyes begin to water. He and his brothers used to admire this place, unable to enter until they turned of age and awakened their hidden talents. Sabo was the first one to do so - under very different and rather unfortunate circumstances at the time - and he said that that experience was absolutely amazing. The invisible magical barrier had welcomed him, Sabo’s mana strong enough to light up the ages-old runes scratched into the bark of the trees despite the lack of a proper ritual which was usually performed by at least three witches on Walpurgisnacht.

That was the last time Luffy’s been here – on his very first _official_ warlock gathering. His brothers had forced him into his best clothes, Shanks’ ratty pointed hat was replaced by the one that their next-door neighbors had gifted Luffy for saving their son’s life – the enchanted firefly-like lights gravitating towards its end had received plenty of awed compliments that night – and then they dragged him to the endless woods lit up by artificial foxfire fungi to meet up with fellow witches, eagerly introducing their lovely brother. The sizable crowd of magic-users had fallen for the goofy kid right away, readily accepting him into their circle, and so, Luffy and his two brothers proceeded to enjoy themselves at the grandest magic festival of the year, retiring only after dawn broke, its sunlight dyeing the tips of the pines in pink and orange hues.

He had his initiation ritual at this very place, both hands oiled and marked, pressed into the Grand Tree absorbing the blessing. It was the first time he felt truly connected to nature, one with the pure magic sleeping in his soul, despite having visited countless ley lines and other magical places in the past. These woods are Luffy’s home turf so it’s of no surprise that all of those clues which he has picked up from Sabo’s unkempt study have led him here.

Raftel is the place that connects all things living, wandering and deceased, its powerful magic easily crushing down the web-thin boundaries separating life and death whenever the circumstances are favorable and, of course, if there’re proper rituals involved. Luffy isn’t good at the latter, has _never_ been good at offerings in general – those are Sabo’s forte rather than his or Ace’s for that matter - but he decides to trust his blond brother’s notes. Sabo’s knowledge has yet to fail him once and without him, Luffy’s certain that he would’ve winded up dead a long time ago, lying face-down in some unknown part of the forest with a knife protruding from his spine.

There’s a first time for everything, he guesses, because the ritual that he’s about to perform requires certain sacrifices and if he fucks it up, it’s game over. He has _faith_ that everything will go smoothly despite feeling a little queasy – it’s not every day that you get to stab yourself for the sake of the greater good. It’s almost as though Raftel can read his muddled thoughts, the magic visibly reacting and oozing out of the tree bark in tantalizing waves. It’s almost as though it’s looking forward to the bloody gifts, as disturbing as it sounds. It’s Luffy’s first ritual that requires human blood rather than berries, small animal bones, colorful rocks and nose-clogging incense.

Oh, if only Sabo knew what he was about to do – he’d never forgive Luffy or himself for leaving behind his notes, gathering dust and approachable to everyone who looked.

The young warlock wishes to return to full health before the full moon is over and Sabo comes back home, worn out beyond belief. Too tired to notice Luffy’s pain and lingering discomfort before inevitably passing out on the nearest couch.

He pulls out Ace’s long silver dagger from its engraved leather sheath, turning it over in his gloved hands and observing his distorted reflection in it. The blade almost _glows_ despite the lack of light. Luffy sighs, lovingly tracing the intricate handle with flames carved into it and a fat orange stone etched in its center – Ace adored this thing. It constantly hung off his studded belt no matter where they were or what they did. He’s fairly certain that Ace slept with it too – one arm secured around Luffy’s slim shoulders and the other resting on the sheath, ready to protect his little brother from the bizarre visitors they were often forced to receive in the dead of the night.

He missed Ace’s presence in their small, shared bed, the older man taking up more than half of its space. Missed the feeling of protection – his brother was akin to a sturdy brick wall that he could always lean on, literally and figuratively.

He missed Ace.

With those desperate thoughts swarming his mind, Luffy resolutely wraps both of his palms around the handle, raises the dagger and then bravely pierces his stomach, mouthing out the summoning spell in the ancient tongue despite the blood pooling in his mouth and dripping down his chin.

His voice comes out loud and clear and he spits out the excess liquid into his shaking, weak fingers, breath rasping.

Instead of blood, there’s black, sticky substance covering his pale skin. _Tar._

It hurts so badly that Luffy collapses to his knees, shuddering, waiting. He’ll either bleed out or complete the ritual first – it’s a race against time. Ace’s dagger, neatly lodged in his muscles, shakes and glows, shedding pale light on the moss – he can tell _it’s_ coming, judging by the obvious disturbance in the magic waves. It’s like a vinyl record skipping a beat over and over again – Luffy finds that there’s no better way to describe the noise and the sensation. If he concentrates and wrestles with his fading thoughts in the right way, Luffy can almost hear _its_ approach.

Luffy doesn’t see _It_ so much that he feels its undeniable presence which happens to be extremely cold and uninviting. Fitting for a messenger of death, for a Reaper. If he’s lucky, he’s managed to summon Death itself but he doubts that he’s strong enough to pull off something of that level. No one’s been able to do it before, Raftel or not. He needs answers that only _these beings_ can provide.

“Are you mocking me, witch?” that icy, velvet-smooth voice comes from above Luffy’s hunched up form, its owner positioned somewhere to the left. Luffy can hear the creature pace and hold back a pained hiss when it attempts to leave its trap – the fairy ring glows a faint purple, pulsates in warning, and refuses to let _It_ leave. “Release me,” the creature demands, this time significantly more annoyed.

Luffy smirks. Success. Without waiting a second longer, he retracts the dagger and clumsily digs through the small pouch lying by his feet – he drops it only thrice in his haste – greedily sucking out the contents of a small, blue vial containing the homemade instant-healing potion. He feels its effects with every gulp, his hazy, death-clouded sight clears completely by the time Luffy wipes away at his tar-coated lips. Luffy’s life may no longer be in danger but it’ll take the wound another week or so to heal completely and he needs to attend to it asap before he somehow manages to reopen it – again, it’s a race against time. Luffy needs to be straight to the point if he doesn’t want to die on the spot – this potion only works once. He’s already gambling by summoning an evil spirit.

The said Spirit scoffs after seeing the vial. “Resorting to cheap tricks to lure me out I see. I wouldn’t expect any less from a fucking witch.”

“There was no other way to catch your attention,” Luffy says and tests his strength which is yet to return to its original state. He still manages to stand, swaying only a little. “Sorry for the method.”

“You must have serious business with me if you go as far as stabbing yourself in the gut for it,” the Spirit seems thoroughly unamused. Luffy wonders if they’ve been summoned like this before. Considering the fact that these areas are almost completely evil spirit-free, it wouldn’t come as a surprise.

The Spirit is everything and nothing Luffy expected it to be. For example, it looks like a normal _human man_ in his late twenties, the kind you’d spot at the local market and wouldn’t spare a second look. He lacks the more-striking supernatural features – no fangs or sharp teeth, no forked tongue, no cat eyes. He’s got dark skin, only a few shades darker than Luffy’s natural tan, and it’s peppered in pale patches that somehow manage to compliment the tall male’s appearance rather than butcher it. Perhaps Luffy lied – he’d certainly be worth a head turn in the local market. Not only is that skin _unusual,_ his exotic features are also on the eye-pleasing side.

Luffy’s curious gaze travels from the Spirit’s straight nose, to the silver eyes, coal-black hair and then rest on the black horns protruding from the man’s head. _Deer_ horns, long and sleek, decorated by a thin string of silver. Luffy recognizes them the moment he takes a better look, having seen those exact antlers on plenty of the aforementioned herbivores frolicking around in the dry fields surrounding the apothecary. This knowledge makes Luffy frown in confusion – demons aren’t supposed to have _deer_ horns. According to the lore and Sabo’s notes, demons are supposed to have ram-like horns, hooves for feet – and this stranger has very _human_ feet, naked and decorated in black pearl bracelets – slit eyes – nope, the pupils are definitely human – and a tail. Which the stranger lacks altogether.

“The stupid look on your face tells me that you’ve summoned the wrong guy,” the Spirit mocks, turning around to present Luffy its exposed back. The action confirms his suspicious - there’s no tail showing from above the waistline of the Spirit’s tight trousers. There’re only bizarre markings and tattoos carved into the two-toned skin of that sculpted back. “That’s quite alright – you’re not the first fool attempting to have a go at his nonexistent luck.”

As if that’s supposed to make him feel any better. Luffy sinks to his knees, suddenly drained of measly strength and the Spirit of _unknown origin_ fixes its black tunic-like robe. It seems oddly smug, pleased by the dawning realization and the beginnings of despair painting the witch’s childish face. The boy cannot be older than seventeen, the Spirit assesses, and clicks his tongue. He’s lucky that the kid’s an idiot – he’d rather not be permanently bound to a child who’s just come of age.

“Who are you?” the kid asks, frown deep and shoulders trembling. Still clearly lost in a state of disbelief yet more than a little skeptic. The kid’s strong-willed, the Spirit can give him that much. It’s a fine quality that he appreciates and values. Perhaps the witch is not as boring as he might’ve assumed, after all, he had the guts to summon _him_ using a method this messy and endangering. Not everyone had the balls to pierce themselves like that. It looks like this child sorely needs something, needs the answers which the Spirit may or may not possess. Most likely the latter.

“Who do you think I am?” he counters with another question, checking his nails – it’s better than pacing in circles and remembering the fact that this weak little bastard has skillfully trapped him, _tricked_ him into showing up, enticed by the scent of witch blood and death.

The witch doesn’t seem to appreciate this one-sided game of wits, fingers digging into the moss and dirt. The magic grows heavy in the air and nearly singes at the trapped Spirit’s skin – the kid is undeniably strong-willed. Even Raftel reacts to his passionate outburst. “I’ve no time for this!” he yells, frustrated. He tries to exert his pathetic witch authority when he demands, “Are you an Evil spirit or are you not?”

Just to make the hot sensations go away, the Spirit gives in with a displeased grumble. “I’m not. I’m a _familiar spirit_ and I’ve no answers to your demon-related questions. Undo the spell that you’ve placed on me and let me go. There’s nothing more to discuss.”

Something in his speech makes the kid’s big eyes brighten considerably. “A familiar!? That means you know all sorts of things – stuff that’s relevant to me. You can pick up a witch’s presence and that’s all I need,” the kid smashes his forehead into the wet ground, hands placed before him, shoulders humbly hunched. A worshiper's pose. The Spirit recoils, blinking rapidly – he certainly hadn’t expected a turnabout like this.

Meanwhile, Luffy rakes his brain for appropriate sentences, trying to recall his etiquette lessons. What was it that Ace used to say about politeness and requests when it came to dealing with the supernatural…? Well, for one, trapping them was completely out of the question but there was no other way for Luffy to get the help required otherwise.  “Please, I beg of you! I’m not here to bind you nor am I here to force anything out of you despite trapping you in this fairy ring. I’m merely searching for the spirit of my recently-deceased brother. I’m looking for a medium to help me reconnect with his lost soul once more. I wish to see him and say my goodbyes, nothing else. He’s the only family I’ve ever had,” Luffy half-lies, sitting up, gaze blank. “I will not be able to move forward until I get to speak to him and, if possible, return his blade via an offering ritual,” he places the silver object before the barrier for the Spirit to inspect. Unlike the tar that he’s been spewing, this one has his actual blood on it – a proof and a painful reminder that he’s nearly lost his own life just to see Ace one last time.

Ace used fire magic to protect their small apothecary from the Templars doing their rounds at the Windmill village. He saved their home, saved Luffy from the magic-cancelling chains, and killed three of the five men dressed in heavy armor – a heinous act committed for the sake of self-defense. Despite the intense resistance that they were facing, the Templars managed to capture his brother the moment the tired warlock let down his guard and then dragged him all the way back to the capital where they put him to rest without a proper send-off ritual. Luffy and Sabo barely made it on time to place the burning witch’s magical blade in the pyre, messily releasing his soul and his gold-colored mana. Sabo had nearly burned to death himself, foregoing the protection spells in his haste to get to his brother’s disintegrating remains, magical charms and substances swallowed up by the unnaturally colored flames.

Luffy still remembers how loud they were. It was almost as though fire itself was mourning the witch that it was forced to consume, turning dark red and then a brilliant shade of bright blue that hurt Luffy’s stinging eyes.

Dragging Sabo out of that mess was a pain like no other and Luffy doesn’t wish to see him reduced to that state ever again – if it weren’t for Sabo’s werewolf blood and natural healing abilities which aided the young warlock in the process, Luffy’s pretty damn sure that right now he’d be two brothers short.

Thanks to their combined efforts, though, Ace was still _alive_ and he was somewhere out there – a wandering spirit waiting for the final ritual to release him into the wild, return him to Raftel. No matter how crazy it may sound, whenever Luffy returned home and heard the jingle of the brass bell suspended above the entrance, he could always _feel_ Ace’s presence welcoming him home – the home that he’s so selflessly protected.

Luffy will do everything it takes to set his brother free, even die by the hand of some familiar demon that he’s summoned by complete accident.

The Spirit doesn’t seem to be convinced by Luffy’s speech, yet it appears to be slightly more invested in their conversation, going down on one knee before the kid to see him better. God, the brat is small. The Spirit cocks his head to the side, glowering. “I do not care for your earthly worries, witch, nor am I interested in disclosing any of that information,” at the brat’s horrified expression, the Spirit smirks, “well, without a proper agreement involved.”

Luffy sits back on his knees, warily eyeing the smirking man. His antlers nearly suck out all light and warmth swarming around them. “Like a promise?” he asks, cautious. Striking deals with Spirits of unknown origin was dangerous – back when he was a kid, Sabo had made him swear over and over again that he’d never just up and do it before properly discussing the terms and conditions involved in the bargain.

“You could call it that. It will be less of a promise and more of a _deal,_ “ So Luffy wasn’t wrong in assuming there’ll be one of those involved. “As a familiar spirit, I’m fully aware that witches cannot go back on their word. They’re magically bound by the contract of their deal, isn’t that right?” the Spirit leans in as far as the invisible barrier lets it.

Luffy doesn’t recoil, glaring. “I don’t have to be a witch to never go back on my word!”

“Isn’t that reassuring?” the Spirit hums, smile insincere, calculated. Good, he’s a fool. Easy to manipulate and catch off guard. This will be a piece of cake, and if he plays his cards right, he’s going to end up a free man.

“You talk funny,” the kid grumbles and wipes his dirty gloves on the red hood of his cloak.

“If my way with words is far too confusing for you to comprehend, you can always release me, witch,” the Spirit laughs at that, sitting back on his knees as well, facing the fussy brat.

“And stab myself a second time? I don’t think so,” he huffs, cheeks blowing out in a display of annoyance. “What do I have to do to make you bring Ace here?”

The Spirit can almost feel the buzz of magic on the tip of his nose – that’s how far it leans in to inspect the kid’s face. “I want you to release me,” it whispers, gaze sharp and cold.

Luffy doesn’t have to think too hard on this one, his answer a definite, “No.”

“No?”

He readjusts himself to sit cross-legged, palms placed on his dirty shorts, “No,” he repeats, “Look, Grumpy – “ The nickname successfully raises the Spirit’s hackles and the man sputters in indignation, “I may be dumb but I ain’t that stupid. The moment I lift the curse off the fairy ring, you’re gonna either rip my throat out or devour me. So the answer is no.”

The Spirit smashes the side of his wrist into the barrier, making it ripple and burn his skin in the process. Black tar seeps out of the wound but one stroke of his tattooed finger is enough to make it disappear. He seems thoroughly pissed off. “So did you just plan on keeping me here for the rest of the eternity?”

“Uh, one,” Luffy says, lifting a finger. “Witches come here all the time. It’s a sacred place and someone would’ve inevitably released you sooner or later. Two,” he presents another finger, “the spell that I used will wear off in a few days – long enough for me to get out of the woods without you hunting me down – “

“And three,” the Spirit interrupts with a hateful hiss, startling the young brat immediately, “there’s no way for me to cause you any harm because of that thing around your neck,” he points at the lengthy fang necklace resting on Luffy’s chest, a blue stone amulet with some runes etched into it strung up in its middle. Sabo’s gift for his twelfth birthday. “Were fangs. Willingly given, no less. It seems that you have very influential and smart friends out there, witch. Which makes me wonder why you came to me in the first place.”

“Sabo doesn’t want me to get involved in this any more than I already am,” Luffy whispers, touching the protective charm, tracing its small runes drawn in his sibling’s precise lines. In the heat of the moment he'd forgotten all about its barrier magic. “He’s already out day and night, searching for ways to find Ace. He thinks that Spirit summons are far too dangerous and keeps on looking for alternatives. I cannot let him do this alone – I love Ace just as much as he does! Who cares if I’m the little sibling, I want to help. I _can_ help,” he finishes the speech resolutely.

“And how are you going to make me talk without agreeing to my terms, witch?” The Spirit questions, amazed by the kid’s boldness. In the face of despair, he still finds it in him to remain optimistic.

“Since you cannot hurt me,” Luffy says timidly, for once carefully picking his words, “I will set you free. But only after you talk and tell me _everything_ that I need to know. I promise you,” he picks up the little knife that he uses for potion making and jabs its end into the skin of his palm. The Spirit says nothing, seemingly pleased – the contract is about to be sealed. “And give you my word, with the ancient seals as my witness, Raftel as my guide.”

The small cross-like cut with a moon etched above it stings like a bitch but Luffy handles it – this isn’t worse than a knife lodged between his organs. It barely bleeds, but just enough for him to press the injured palm into the barrier and make it give after applying some pressure, hand lingering before the hopefully not ferocious demon – he doesn’t want to end up being an arm short.

Determinedly, he meets those eerie silver eyes and the Spirit presses its larger palm to Luffy’s, the body contact making electrifying shivers run down his spine – it’s probably a part of the ritual. He never averts his gaze and the Spirit meets it halfway. A glowing mark mirroring Luffy’s own appears on its palm, shining in bright red hues before fading back into the spotted skin as though it never existed to begin with. The moment it happens, the Spirit retracts its palm, curiously flexing those long fingers.

“If you break this oath, the mark will poison you, witch,” he sets his condition and watches the bloody mark close up on Luffy’s pale skin, the healing process sped up by the words coming from his mouth. “You will die a slow and painful death, regretting the moment you decided to summon me.”

“That’s dark,” the kid seems unperturbed by his death sentence, shrugging lightly. He massages his arm to get rid of the tingly sensation coursing through it. “I would’ve preferred a fast death. Like a heart attack or something.”

“I don’t hand out charity to offenders,” the Spirit smirks. Not bad. “Now then, what is it that you wish to know? I can’t promise you anything. After all, I’m a simple Spirit, not some all-knowing god. For you, I’ll try to keep my answers…” he gives the witch an appraising onceover, lip curling back, “Simple.”

The kid either doesn’t notice the jibe at his intellect or chooses to ignore it completely, brightening up – he’s come this far and he will finally get to see his brother, return the dagger to him. “Tell me about Ace, Spirit. Can you call him here? I must talk to him – I’ve everything prepared right here!” he exclaims, shaking the pouch overflowing with ceremonial candles, incense and all kinds of knick-knacks.

Sabo may be angry with him for summoning strange Spirits with antlers protruding from their heads, but he will surely thank him later. Eagerly, Luffy leans in to observe the pacing man, black robe billowing in invisible wind. He toys with a silver bangle hanging off his wrist, rubbing at the black pearl implanted into its surface. The man seems a little reluctant to give out information so Luffy urges the spirit to hurry up, nearly bouncing in his spot.

The next few words that escape the beautiful man’s mouth make Luffy deflate, “I’m afraid that I cannot call out to the spirit of a man whom I do not personally know, witch,” he says quietly, almost apologetically, “It’s like asking me to bring back a dead man to life – it’s impossible. You should know that.”

Luffy heaves a sigh – perhaps Sabo was right. This was a foolish, dangerous thing to do. He had a feeling that it might come down to this but it still doesn’t prepare him well-enough for the crushing defeat and disappointment that he feels, coursing down his body like a numbing wave. Even the Spirit seems to pity him.

“Anything else?” it asks, frown deepening. The kid’s head is lowered, shadows cast over his eyes, half-covered by the inky strands of disheveled hair. There are leaves sticking in it. The Spirit hopes that this man isn’t important enough for the kid to suddenly backpedal and willingly break their oath – he looks like he’d rather be dead than live a single day without this Ace person around.

“All I want,” the kid whispers, shoulders hunched. He sighs again, collecting himself, “All I want is to make sure that he moves on. And I’m out of ideas. I don’t know where to look, _we_ searched for clues, traveled everywhere, and I – “ his voice cracks and the kid buries his face in his dirty gloves, shivering. He seems to be fighting off tears. “Where do I start, Spirit? Is there any way for me to put him to rest?”

His dedication is heart-warming to say the least. He’s intimately familiar with the scenario that the witch is describing. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the cause of Ace’s death and the Spirit knows all about the Templars and their foul pyres. It was far better, if not logical, to foolishly rush in and save someone’s soul rather than turn your back on them. Those who willingly chose the latter option, doomed their brethren to never-ending darkness, their souls trapped in a limbo, unable to escape. Not that it was much better than aimlessly wandering the plane of existence. This poor, mere shadow of a man, waiting to be found and sent off by those who still cared, unable to sleep at night and heavy with the massive guilt weighing down their consciousness. Guilt that they shouldn’t even feel for they did the right thing, the merciful thing.

That’s when the blade catches the Spirit’s attention. It still has that eerie glow to it as though it’s reflecting some invisible light shed by an invisible source. The Spirit inspects the fire markings, the round stone and clicks his tongue. Of course, there were always _other ways._ “What was your brother’s element?” he questions and the witch startles at the sound of his voice, lifting the tear-stained face. The sad sight makes the Spirit cringe – he’s no good when it comes to dealing with sniveling brats.

The kid wipes the bloodied blade on the forest floor, carefully placing the dagger in his lap, “Fire,” he mumbles, nose stuffy. “He died from it too.”

“You should’ve confirmed this from the start,” the Spirit grumbles, an idea already surfacing in its head. Fire elements were so ridiculously picky. “I think there’s a reliable way to locate this Ace person.”

The kid nearly falls into the barrier at that, “R-Really?”

“Yes. This dagger was of great importance to him, no? I assume that you used it to separate the soul from the remains of the body,” at the witch’s eager nod, he continues, “Have you noticed anything strange about it?”

“Well,” the witch sniffles, “It’s been glowing for a year now. Not constantly, just. Whenever I approached certain places. Sabo said that it was most likely reacting to fire spirits in the area – either those or the remains of strong spells. It’d help us locate good places to use fire magic – those areas worked like some sort of booster. Sabo called them lesser domains, I think – just like Raftel is the biggest light domain of the continent. I used to disagree, tell him that we’ve finally found Ace, but… Sabo told me that those places existed long before Ace’s death.”

“Did it locate domains before the incident?”

“No,” Luffy shakes his head, “It was a normal dagger, no more.”

“Ah,” the Spirit hums, something finally clicking. He’s heard of this before – the sacred objects guiding its wielders, “Then that settles it. This dagger is showing you the places that might hold clues where to locate your brother’s ghost. You could say that it’s a radar, a compass for you to follow. It’s not unheard of, witch. I understand your ignorance, though, and do not blame you - this is some very old knowledge. My last owner lived hundreds of years ago and even then, almost every witch in the area didn’t know about this possibility. Granted, it was the era of witch hunts, so they didn’t exactly have the time or courage to save their brethren.”

“So you think that if I visit the fire domains, I’ll be able to discover Ace’s current location?” Luffy asks hopefully, lower lip quivering.

“If nothing else, it’s worth a shot,” the Spirit shrugs, “You already told me that you’ve exerted all sources that you came across. I don’t think that getting your hopes up will do you good but still. You can always try that when everything else fails.”

“And how do I know you’re not leading me into a trap? What if I get attacked by man-eating salamanders or phoenixes?”

The Spirit laughs at the kid’s adorable suspicion, “I’ve no intentions to betray you. You agreed to set me free and that’s enough of a reason for me to keep you alive,” the Spirit presents him the back of the hand that the two have marked. His words make Luffy glower, confused. _What?_

The Spirit grins at him, borderline sinister, “You’re more useful to me alive, Master.”

_Shit._

“What is the meaning of this,” Luffy gapes, feeling unnaturally cold all over. Sabo’s warnings echo in his head – did he unknowingly create _loopholes_ in the contract? He tries to recollect his exact words and ends up drawing a blank. “I only agreed to set you free!”

“You did,” the Spirit hums, satisfied – it sort of looks like a caged, hungry tiger ready to pounce the moment Luffy sets it free.

Ah yes, an outburst. How predictable. It’s not like the little witch can take it back now that there’s a contract binding their life force together. “And you will. But you failed to ask me if I was trapped here _before_ you placed me in this stupid fairy ring. You didn’t ask so I didn’t answer.”

“I didn’t agree to you becoming my familiar, Spirit!”

“You _promised_ me,”

“To set you free, no more than that!”

“Didn’t specify when or how.”

Luffy gapes, stunned by this sudden shift in scenario. Of course he wasn’t smart enough to cover minor details like that. No wonder he’s been warned about these creatures – they’re mischievous and they know how to dance around every single issue stationed in their way. “So that’s how it is. You used me?”

“Are you rejecting me?” the Spirit avoids the question with one of its own, tapping at the back of its unmarked hand. _A reminder._

“No!” Luffy observes the man’s silver eyes widen at the exclamation and shakes his head to back up his words, determination shining in his eyes. There must be a way to _fix this_ , to get something out of it. He’s not going down without a fight – Luffy refuses to. “I’m not _rejecting_ you but if you’re going to be my familiar, you do not get to control my choices or my life,” he yells out and the Spirit raises its sharp eyebrows at him, intrigued and more than a little unsettled. “I’m a _witch_ of the Windmill village, High Warlock in training, successor of Portgas D. Ace, and my name is Luffy. And you, Spirit, will help me find my missing brother! You still have the information I need thus you cannot run off into the wild, not until you complete your end of the deal! These are my conditions.”

Okay, _now_ he’s set the correct conditions. Who’s signed up for a loop-filled contract now, huh?

While Luffy sucks in deep, shaky breaths, hoping that he’s made himself clear enough and hasn’t managed to anger his new familiar in the process, the nameless Spirit huffs a mirthless laugh, eyes downcast. “And who said anything about me wanting to run away from _you specifically_ , witch?” he gestures at the fairy ring, the rune-marked ancient trees. Disdain paints the Spirit’s handsome face. “I resent this place. Do you have any idea how many years I’ve spent roaming around this forest, loitering around Raftel while hoping to encounter some dying man and strike a good, beneficial deal. A long time, _Luffy._ A very long time spent in solitude that was imposed on me by my late master’s family member. I’ve been betrayed, humiliated in the worst way imaginable, and if becoming free means that I have to stick around by your side for a little while longer, make sure that you don’t die before we reach our goal, then so be it. I offer you my temporary services alongside my flawed knowledge which will likely fail to aid you in your quest,” he bows, mockingly low.

Luffy doesn’t say anything about the gesture, eyes scanning the firs and shrubbery. It’s a dull place once you take a better look at it, only livened up by the strong magic vibes and the iridescent mushrooms sprouting out in a perfect circle. “How many years have you spent here, Spirit?” he asks, absentminded.

“I’ve lost count after two-hundred,” the Spirit reluctantly answers, visibly saddened. It seems honest enough so Luffy doesn’t question it any further. He knows that he’d be pretty upset about this situation too, not one to be cooped up in one place. He’d grow bored of Raftel three days in.

“It must’ve been lonely.”

“I do not need your pity, witch,” the Spirit bristles, sharply turning around to glare at the naïve boy, black material billowing in the still air. The movements of his flowing robe remind Luffy of a fish swimming against the currents of a turbulent river.

“It’s not pity,” Luffy reassures, placing a hand on his chest. He genuinely feels bad for the other man. “I understand that feeling of loneliness – I’ve been feeling it every single day, ever since they took Ace from me. If you’d told me about it right away, I would’ve set you free without asking for anything in return,” he confesses.

“You’re a complete fool to assume that _a trapped Spirit_ would not resort to _lies_ to tear off its chains.”

“Maybe so. But I’d take the risk.”

That pure and simple statement, strikes a chord within the Spirit’s unfeeling heart. Dramatically, it stalks towards Luffy, face scrunched up at the strange feeling of protection surfacing in its chest. He recognizes it to be the resonance of their bond. “Do you even _care_ about what happens to you, child? Have you no love for your life?”

“Not anymore,” the kid grins in a supposedly reassuring way. As if he didn’t just casually fess up to having suicidal thoughts, and more than likely, tendencies. “I’ve a familiar to guard me and aid me until I finally find my brother.”

“Yes,” how can this witch accept him so fast? So headstrong and… strange. He didn’t actually want a familiar, did he? He said so himself. The Spirit wonders what made him change his mind. “You do. Now, set me free, _Master_.”

His sarcastic tone does not go by unnoticed. “Please. Call me Luffy,” the witch says with a genuine smile and with a lot of effort, hoists himself up. He’s tragically short – the Spirit has to look down on him to properly meet the kid’s wide, brown eyes. He’s an innocent creature that’s clearly endured an unfair amount of suffering in its short life. Protectiveness surges in the tall man’s chest once more, washing over him like a wave, dulling his senses – how does this foolish ball of optimism manage to exist in this cruel, unfair world? A High Warlock, no less? One that’s somehow managed to mistakenly summon the wrong creature? How’s he not _dead_ by now?  “I want to know your name as well. I can’t keep on calling you Spirit.”

“There’s no need to exchange pleasantries, witch. You’ll know my true name the moment you undo the spell,” he tells the kid and moves to stand in the center of the trap, visibly excited. Finally, he’ll be able to wash off the shame that’s been clinging to his frame for centuries now.

Luffy only staggers backwards and raises his arms, palms crossed before him. He knows his chants, knows his ancient tongue and the Spirit’s entire being buzzes when the light domain begins reacting to the obscene amounts of Luffy’s bright red mana, spewing out pink bursts of energy from those intersected palms. Suddenly, the iridescent mushrooms of the fairy ring light up, producing blinding white energy which forms seven tall columns rapidly melding and then shifting into a sturdy wall. The Spirit can no longer see the kid, stuck in the middle of this ever-shifting chaos, but the witch’s voice is loud enough to be heard over the buzzing _noise_ rising in volume. “Joined by the thread of one fate, our destinies and goals become entwined,” he switches languages, signifying the end of the binding ritual. “With Raftel’s sleeping gods as my witnesses, I call thee forth, _Law_.”

The remains of Law’s semi-visible black chains crumble away, dispelling the curse placed upon him by the Donquixote family. With fascination, he observes the black markings on his skin rearranging, some either disintegrating or turning into fresh ink, dripping down his skin and onto the ground, Raftel’s purifying light drying them up instantaneously. He keeps _shedding_ until all that’s left are his old tattoos, back from when he was still alive.  It’s a private moment and he’s glad that the warlock cannot see him tearing off his restrains, along with the multiple black magic curses.

The barrier pulsates and Luffy nearly falls over from the sheer force that it emits, knees weakening significantly. He feels the wound caused by Ace’s dagger reopen, warm blood trailing down his front. It takes a lot of effort just to remain upright, no less perform magic. He’ll be lucky if he makes it out of these woods alive – he’s very far away from the apothecary, from civilization in general.

Sabo will definitely find a way to bring Luffy back to life and then kill him for doing this, wandering off on his own.

Right when he thinks that he cannot keep this up for a second longer, the barrier disappears in a blinding flash of light.

Luffy collapses, fingers pressed to the wound – it’s scabbed over halfway through, thank the gods for that – and observes the fairy ring, a little confused.

The man is nowhere to be seen.

“Did I mess up?” Luffy rasps, shivering when he feels a comforting presence next to him. A wet nose of some unknown animal bops the side of his face, checking his well-being and blowing hot air on his cheek. The sensation tickles and Luffy grins despite himself.

 _“I’m right here,”_ he hears Law’s deep voice echo in his head, too tired to jump up in fright. It’s _weird_ but he’s going to get used to it – animals cannot talk. _“You did great,”_ the familiar begrudgingly compliments its master.

“That’s good to hear,” Luffy sighs out, enjoying the soft moss pressing down on his face. He barely has any strength left, too tired to keep his eyes open. No good, he’s slipping away – he cannot risk losing consciousness here. “Now, show yourself to me. I want to take a good look at your familiar form.”

 _“You’re such a child,”_ the man says yet obeys the command and lowers his fur-covered neck for Luffy to hold onto, pulling the kid up into a semi-seated position.

Before the warlock, stands a baby deer with unnatural black and white spotted fur, tiny raven antlers poking out from its head. Despite the size, they’re still shaped just like those of a fully grown deer and Luffy reaches out to pet the spot between them, cooing over the small creature. “You’re so beautiful, Law,” he compliments. The fur feels velvet-soft against his palm and the creature sniffles in agitation, pulling away from the witch’s hand, its small tail flickering to show annoyance.

 _“I do not wish to be coddled by you,”_ the familiar grumbles but doesn’t outwardly resist when Luffy scoops Law’s animal form up and strokes his delicate back. Reluctantly, he sets his head on the boy’s dirty yet warm lap. It’s inviting to say the least. _“Does my current form please you?”_

“Well, I expected a crow or something like that,” if Law were human, he’d be rolling his eyes. There was no way that a familiar spirit with _deer horns_ would ever be able to take on the form of a bird. “A black deer’s gonna be a whole lot harder to explain to Sabo, but we’ll come up with something, won’t we?” Luffy scratches his companion under the ear, watches it flicker, unused to the well-meaning touch. “I like you how you are!”

 _“I’m not a pet, Luffy,”_ Law reminds, lifting his head to look at his master.

“But you’re so cute!” the kid pouts, touching the sleek, pearl-like horns.

 _“There’s no reasoning with you. I do assume that you have some bandages and ointments in that bag of yours. You’re bleeding,”_ Law assesses the damage, sliding off the boy’s lap, nosing at the wound leaking gore. The kid looks pale, those black shadows located under his eyes darkening by the minute. _”If it’s left unattended, you’ll have to sew it shut.”_

“Oh, that,” Luffy exclaims as though he’s just noticed it and gingerly touches at the wound. Law scolds the warlock immediately – the kid’s gloves are caked in dirt. What if he gets it infected? Honestly, he doesn’t care about himself at all. “Yeah, I think I’ve some bandages but I already wasted my only healing potion. I don’t know how to make those from forest plants alone. Ace tried to teach me once but after I poisoned him, he stopped.”

_“And how will you get out of here without proper medical care?”_

“That’s easy,” Luffy grins, swaying. Law steadies him by folding his long legs and lying next to the exhausted witch’s back – a brace. “I’ll sleep it off and then walk.”

 _“You’ll sleep it off,”_ the familiar parrots.

“Yes. It’ll charge my mana so the healing will become more effective later on.”

 _“You’re an idiot,”_ Law states. _“You’re damn lucky that I’m not a crow or any other bird otherwise you’d be dead,”_ he then sighs in defeat and leaves his master alone. The kid doesn’t question that statement – most likely doesn’t possess the strength required to flap his foolish mouth – and falls backwards, hitting Law’s lowered head rather than the forest floor.

“I didn’t know that you could transform into a big deer,” Luffy exhales after looking up and Law offers the warlock an antler to hold onto - it’s roughly the size of Luffy’s arm. With some effort, he stands, cradling the animal’s neck. “Whoa, I can barely reach you,” the boy says, amazed, trying to stand of his tiptoes and failing in his task.

While Law’s grown deer form isn’t really _that big_ , taking Luffy’s small stature into consideration, he must look like a horse. _“What can I say, I’m a powerful familiar.”_

“Can you always stay like this?”

 _“If that’s an invitation, my answer is no. I’d rather be compact-sized. Takes less energy,”_ he turns his head to check on the kid trying to mount him. The boy weights nothing.

After a few more tries, he finally manages to get it right, draping himself across Law’s twitchy back, arms wrapped around the powerful neck. “Aw,” he pouts and lets out a startled gasp once they begin moving, leaving the fairy ring and Raftel’s domain behind.

 _“Are you seriously disappointed?”_ Law mumbles, disbelieving, after ducking under yet another fir. Fuck this part of the woods, really. Why did plants always feel the urge to grow in clusters to protect their mother domain?

“Well, yeah! I mean, who wouldn’t want a big deer?”

_“I think I could name a few people.”_

“My name is most definitely not on that list,” Luffy reassures and nuzzles his face into the familiar’s fur. The small action nearly makes Law step on a slick fungi-covered log. He’d rather not fall with Luffy perched on top of his back.

 _“I bet it’s not,”_ Once they reach an acceptable clearing – thankfully, its moss is significantly drier and there’re less ferns in sight – he speeds up, _“Hold on tight now. In the meanwhile, don’t crash and always tell me where to go. We’ll get you back to safety by dusk.”_

The kid remains quiet. Law wonders if he’s finally passed out but he can somehow feel the warlock’s lingering consciousness in the back of his head. The link, right. Gonna take a while to get used to this again. “Alright,” Luffy reassures after Law’s discomfort gets translated back to him via their connection, “Thank you, Law.”

 _“Don’t mention it, Luffy,”_ the familiar murmurs, a little embarrassed, and takes off south-east, galloping in the direction of Luffy’s hometown and his little apothecary – Law’s future home.

**Author's Note:**

> wife: why do you keep killing off ace  
> me: wait, before u say that, spoiler time  
> wife: i love this
> 
> FIC ART: http://yaboybokuto.tumblr.com/post/165803786973/some-witches-and-misc-stuff  
> http://yaboybokuto.tumblr.com/post/165734752218/tales-of-fic-concepts


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